After his career as a starting pitcher bottomed out, Joe Kelly finally found his niche in the bullpen last season with the Boston Red Sox. This year he took that success a step forward by developing into one of the team’s most reliable middle relievers.
The move to the bullpen not only protects Kelly from his limited arsenal, the shorter outings allow him to unleash a blazing fastball. Kelly’s average pitch speed of 99 mph was second in the majors behind New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, per Statcast.
That devastating two-seam fastball can ramp up to as high as 102.